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A seller-sovereign economy includes sellers who are monopolistic or oligopolistic without being confronted by the ultimate consumers who are organized in monopsonistic or ologopsonistic modes. It is an economy where enormous skill, artifice, and resources are used in getting consumers to buy what the sellers want to sell, notwithstanding the availability of more efficient, safe, economical, durable, and effective alternatives, including that of buying nothing at all.

Ralph Nader#40

MonopolyManipulation

About this quote

What does it mean?
Sellers force buyers to purchase even better alternatives exist.
In plain terms
Sellers force buyers to purchase even when better options exist.
What can you take from it?
Markets manipulate buyers away from better choices.

Where it applies

  • marketing practices
  • product safety

Putting it to work

  • support consumer protection
  • critique marketing tactics

Questions to consider

  • How do you know if a product is truly best?

Another view

Marketing helps consumers find products that suit them.

More from Ralph Nader

  1. This administration is not sympathetic to corporations, it is indentured to corporations.

    Permalink to quote #39
  2. Your best teacher is your last mistake.

    Permalink to quote #41
  3. Ours is a system of corporate socialism, where companies capitalize their profits and socialize their losses...in effect, they tax you for their accidents, bun…

    Permalink to quote #38

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